An ab-initio was posted to Aberporth about 3 years ago, it depends on your definition of "final" I suppose but he went there straight from the college and has been there ever since.

It's a bit longer than that, 2012/13 & he's moved elsewhere now; prior to that, 2001/02 was the last time, he's also moved on since, just took considerably longer...

Yeah but was that Aberporth Range or the airfield?

Definitely wasn't 2012 as his basic course didn't start till May 2013...

Definitely not the airfield, rather than waste money on ATCOs sitting around doing nothing for long periods of time (as frequently happens due to unsuitable weather conditions) they embraced the TC concept and remoted the radar and comms to Newquay, who provide ATCOs as/when needed. Win win for both West Wales and Newquay.

Still not a NATS contract though.

If you think NATS HR is bad, how about this ? My old boss at EGGP was on one of the very early Cadet Courses (3?) in the 60's. He wanted to go to Ulster Radar but they said no, you're all going to LATCC. He promptly resigned & got a job with IAL, ostensibly in the Gulf. Turned up at Heathrow on the day & was given his ticket except it was for Rhodesia. Phoned personnel - "oh, sorry, did no-one tell you?" - so off he went to Africa !. He eventually made it to Bahrain :-)

They’ll post you to the furthest airfield from where you live!!

...and keep on posting you further and further away at your own expense by moving the 'reasonable daily travelling distance' goalposts...I left in the end, and went to work for another ANSP nearer to home, it got beyond a joke!

Ah, apologies, I was thinking of his predecessor: if he's looking for greener pastures now, perhaps there's another vacancy...

It used to be that you only did the ADI course and a mini radar introduction course to go to a London airport. That being said, I recall a few people who went on that mini course only to be posted to Aberdeen & Cardiff (ADI only).
More recently it has been said that others have been posted as ADI only to dual rated units and then sent on an APS course (not at CTC) at a later date!

Given the state of NATS management these days the only answer is "Round the Bend".

Do you mean since privatisation...?

That happened to several at Farnborough but they were usually ones who had failed on Area Radar.

These are Ab-initio ATCOs who are being posted directly from the college to dual rated units with only an ADI rating. No failing involved and then keeping a competitor in business by sending the ATCOs on their APS courses with them!

I'm talking about before 2008; there were definitely controllers posted to Farnborough who had failed training at Swanwick LACC and rather than waste the money spent training them they were 're-streamed' to aerodrome and sent on an APS course after they had achieved C of C in the tower.

Looks like a great spread to me - I've seen far worse. So you expect the manager tasked with telling you to be in two places at once? He took the time to personally deliver the message, rather than stick it in the post, & you take out for a meal & that's wrong? I don't know what the "presecco" (or do you mean Prosecco?) quote means, NATS has a clear policy on alcohol in the workplace, there's none at Whiteley or Southampton if you prefer.

You also missed one: someone got a posting 1300 miles from their training base, but they're not whinging - would you prefer that? Your "adjustment time" was when you signed the contract. What happened to...
"NATS will send you wherever they want. You will have no personal control of your destiny. NATS decide if you are going to be selected for Aerodrome or Area ( probably at a toss of a coin! ), and their commercial necessity will determine your posting.
It’s all part of the fun"

The RAF have always done a similar thing when their courses pass out. I've watched the scramble at Shawbury when the notice is posted on the notice board on the last day showing who has passed and where they're going and who has failed/will be re-coursed etc.

Chevvron - what the military may or may not have done does not detract from Cheesefootball's justified gripe about the manner in which it was done - very inconsiderate.

2 s

Postings have always been an emotive subject. I can see why NATS don’t issue them until the last minute. Historically some people have jumped ship at the end of training, I had one on my course. Bonding may have reduced this slightly however £36,000 is nothing for a rival ANSP to pay to poach a TATC.

I have been retired for several years, some things never change. Some things have. The structure of the cadetship I was on was vastly different from the courses of today.

Three weeks into our “Tech course” which was similar to the present Basic course ( only harder ):p the class of twenty plus students were given a letter by hand not only giving you your posting but also what discipline you had been selected for.

There were some gasps of joy, some groans of dismay and the odd swear word.

I did not get the discipline or posting I wanted however it was not the end of the world.

I would have hated to receive such a letter in a public place. I personally think it would be better if NATS told the GATS students their posting in the classroom to let the news sink in.

NATS could still have a company night out and they may find the students more settled and they would ask reasonable questions and be more relaxed.

As has been mentioned before, the actual postings are something you have to accept, it is the luck of the draw.

NATS could possibly soften the blow slightly.

Rgds
AyrTC